Minaya Stands Firm on Heilman in Pen

According to David Lennon of Newsday, Aaron Heilman called Omar Minaya to ask him if it was feasible to use him in the starting rotation for the 2009 season.

Omar Minaya made it clear to Heilman that he thinks Heilman should stay in the bullpen. "We talked and he expressed himself," Minaya said. "He told me that he'd like the opportunity to start. But my job is to make sure I do what's in the best interest of the team, and we still see him in the bullpen."

Lennon thinks that after all the problems he has had in the bullpen, he should at least get a tryout in spring training for a shot at the rotation.

I think that the Mets have other plans in mind. The Mets can use him as trade bait and get something back for the disgruntled reliever. Heilman is one of those guys who you know has a lot of talent. It will probably flourish outside of New York and we will all say, "Why couldn't he do that when he was a Met."

Update: Buster Olney is reporting that the Mets like the idea of trading Heilman for Huston Street, where the Rockies have been fond of Heilman for sometime.

In other News, the Mets have finally gotten the Medical reports for Frankie Rodriguez. Now, the Mets doctors have to look it over. The next step, according to Lennon, is to have a face to face meeting with the closer before they can make an offer.